This invention relates to simultaneous banding and tagging of merchandise by using marking articles that are stretchable and carry a non-stretchable tag.
Elastomeric bands, commonly called rubber bands, are easily stretched about the mouth of a bag or about multiple boxes, or about merchandise itself, such as about a grouping of agricultural produce or about a single item of merchandise (e.g., a rolled or folded newspaper).
Elastomeric bands are, however, not suitable for direct printing of a Universal Produce Code (UPC bar code) thereon because stretching of the elastomeric band about merchandise stretches a bar code printed thereon and distorts the width of the bars and the spacing therebetween. Such distortion can make the bar code unreadable or produce a false scanner reading.
Nevertheless, in modern mass merchandising outlets such as superstores or supermarkets, there has been an almost complete movement toward labeling products (or the packaging thereof) with an identification code, such as a UPC bar code readable by an optical scanner.
In the particular case of agricultural produce, additional printed markings beyond a bar code are generally desired. Such additional markings include a "Product Look Up" (PLU) number identification code, a trademark of the producer, possibly a collective or certification mark, storage directions, serving suggestions, recipes for preparing the particular produce, a table of "Nutritional Facts," and an indication of the place of origin (e.g., country or state).
One of the most efficient environments for performing the tasks of banding and tagging agricultural produce with appropriate printed marking information is in the agricultural field as the produce is harvested (or soon thereafter or at least prior to any significant processing of the produce). For example, a field worker, with a supply of elastomeric bands in a looped condition about his or her forearm, grasps a clump of produce with the hand of the band-carrying forearm, and with the other hand moves a band from the band-carrying forearm over the wrist and hand of that arm and then about the clump of produce. The band is then released and the band contracts about the produce. What remains to be done is the step of fixing a tag on the produce.
It would be desirable to fix the elastomeric band and tag on the produce in a single step, but there are problems in doing so. The problem is dramatically illustrated by the different characteristics required for the band as compared to the marking tag. The elastomeric band has to be stretchable, whereas the tag for carrying reliable markings for scanning has to be non-stretchable or non-elastomeric. It is difficult to form a secure and reliable bond between the two diverse components.
One solution to the problem has been that of punching a hole in a plastic tag and tediously inserting a loop of an elastomeric band through the hole and threading the rest of the band through the inserted loop. The approach gives operable results but is labor-intensive and not easily automated.
Nevertheless, a secure attachment between an elastomeric band and a plastic sheet material tag is critical to withstand the processing operations to which banded and tagged agricultural produce is subjected after being harvested and banded and tagged in the field. Produce banded and tagged in the field is subjected to washing operations such as high-velocity water blasts, chilling operations including that of dumping ice on the tagged produce, and even submersion of the produce in chilling water and thrashing it about by conveyors. Such processing operations can easily destroy weak attachments or connections between elastomeric bands and plastic tags containing critical marking material.
This invention solves the problem by providing a sturdy, reliable attachment between an elastomeric band and a non-elastomeric tag in a manner adaptable to automated production and gives a new product that can withstand the severe processing treatment expected for freshly harvested agricultural produce that has been elastomerically banded and non-elastomerically tagged.